Prior to his death, whistleblower John Barnett was testifying against Boeing over concerns about standards.
  • Donebrach@lemmy.world
    178·
    10 months ago

    Great, so we can cross off brazen public corpo-assassinations on the cyberpunk hellscape bingo card, eh?

      • weew@lemmy.ca
        8·
        10 months ago

        The Cyborg stuff is cool, but unfortunately we have subscription models, anti-repairability DRM, unblockable ads, and “we’ll fix it with the DLC” software model, and for-profit health care well established before those become a reality

        You can then literally charge people an arm and a leg

        *Corporate salivating ensues

  • sub_ubi@lemmy.ml
    136·
    10 months ago

    I wonder if the third largest weapons manufacturer in the world, responsible for an unfathomable amount of death and misery, has access to an assassin?

    • Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone
      40·
      10 months ago

      I was thinking something similar, or if a major government who loves their products would have a vested interest in ensuring the company can continue.

      • repungnant_canary@lemmy.world
        512·
        10 months ago

        Which would be quite ridiculously (but sadly not surprising) because if Boeing would overcome those issues it could grow stronger and start functioning sustainably. They can’t just shut down all the critics and hope other countries will continue buying their products, especially when Airbus is around

  • nkat2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    97·
    10 months ago

    This article makes clear how Mr. Barnett called on Boeing on numerous dangerous practices, which Boeing fully denied. But it seems the FAA was able to confirm at least some of Mr. Barnett’s testimony.

    Here follow some notable parts:

    He later told the BBC that workers had failed to follow procedures intended to track components through the factory, allowing defective components to go missing.

    He said in some cases, sub-standard parts had even been removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays on the production line.

    He also claimed that tests on emergency oxygen systems due to be fitted to the 787 showed a failure rate of 25%, meaning that one in four could fail to deploy in a real-life emergency.

    Mr Barnett said he had alerted managers to his concerns, but no action had been taken.

    Boeing denied his assertions. However, a 2017 review by the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), did uphold some of Mr Barnett’s concerns.

    It established that the location of at least 53 “non-conforming” parts in the factory was unknown, and that they were considered lost. Boeing was ordered to take remedial action.

    I wonder what the results were for the remedial actions imposed on Boeing in 2017. Were they able to account for the lost parts, particularly in light of Mr. Barnett’s claims of garbage parts being used from the garbage bins?

    Sounds like a particular corporation is being scummy.

    His death comes at a time when production standards at both Boeing and its key supplier Spirit Aerosystems are under intense scrutiny.

    Gosh, this is convenient for Boeing and Spirit. Very, very convenient.

    And it’s clear the FAA is pissed:

    A preliminary report from the US National Transportation Safety Board suggested that four key bolts, designed to hold the door securely in place, were not fitted.

    Last week, the FAA said a six-week audit of the company had found “multiple instances where the company allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements”.

    Returning to the top of the article, we see the use of quotes around “self-inflicted”:

    Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Mr Barnett’s passing. The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday.

    It said the 62-year-old had died from a “self-inflicted” wound on 9 March and police were investigating.

    Yeah, the quotes look very appropriate to me.

    Rest in Power, Mr. Barnett. I’m truly sorry for you and your family.

    • BassTurd@lemmy.world
      16·
      10 months ago

      I work in an machine shop that manufacturers aerospace parts, fortunately, nothing for Boeing, at least life critical. The remedial action was probably a corrective action, which means a response to how the problem occurred and how it has been remediated to not happen again. At my level, which is a couple of tiers down from Boeing in the manufacturing process, that’s what would be required of us in that situation. The new public pressure may raise the consequences though of the bag holders though.

      • PsychedSy@sh.itjust.works
        5·
        10 months ago

        Yeah, most of those parts probably ended up in the trash, but I’m sure some got used. For them to realize they were missing they had to already be in the quality system but not marked as scrapped/destroyed. I know our scrap bins are locked here.

        At the job shop I worked at we were pretty severe about properly documenting scrap and performing MRB actions. At a tier 1, though, not everyone is as important to the quality system or knows much about how it works. Jobs are so specific sometimes and they keep them busy. It only takes one dishonest or highly regarded individual to do something stupid.

        I’m lucky I had my job shop experience because I had to learn directly from specs instead of having some distilled down or ojt training.

  • Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world
    645·
    10 months ago

    “Police are investigating how the man could shoot himself in the head 10 times. And next, as Boeing’s stock continues it’s upward trend, hopes and prayers have been deluxe wrapped for the next completely avoidable tragedy.”

      • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
        17·
        10 months ago

        Dismantling it would leave Airbus as the only manufacturer of airframes.

        Now hear me out: apparently no competition is bad for a company, so while Boeing keeps Airbus honest it’s providing a good service.

        Now, if Boeing could just stop making shitty airplanes like the cruelty of the max8/9.

  • JackLSauce@lemmy.world
    471·
    10 months ago

    It said the 62-year-old had died from a “self-inflicted” wound on 9 March and police were investigating.

    Assuming there’s nothing more insidious than what’s thus far reported and maybe even if there is, this would be far and away the most damming thing a person could do to Boeing in the long run

  • TacoButtPlug@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    39·
    10 months ago

    I hope someone digs into his case. I wonder if he had been getting any weird phone calls or feelings like he was being tracked, leading up to his death.

    • FriendBesto@lemmy.ml
      2·
      10 months ago

      Unknown as of yet, but given that he was literally working and giving testimony regarding an ongoing case against Boeing literally the week before, I suspect foul play.

  • ikidd@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    10 months ago

    I’m starting to believe this is a frame up of Boeing to help push them down the stairs.

    Its just too fucking obvious a thing for Boeing to do, and what would have made me sure was if the guy had fallen out a window.

    • lledrtx@lemmy.world
      2·
      10 months ago

      I am wondering this too. I can’t imagine why they would be this sloppy. It’s also possible that it is one executive who is trying to save himself and maybe throw someone else under the bus.

  • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
    2227·
    10 months ago

    The wages of whistleblowers. It’s incredible anyone is still crazy enough to do it. Better shut up and take it in the ass, you live longer.

  • Ghostalmedia@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2027·
    10 months ago

    I know everyone is immediately thinking this dude got whacked by Boeing, but he did retire early because of a medical issue. For all we know, he could been suffering with a medical condition and wanted to end the pain or wanted go out on his own terms.

    • Hegar@kbin.social
      552·
      10 months ago

      He was 100% killed by boeing.

      Either they had him professionally killed or their treatment of him was a major contributing factor to his suicide.

      When the powerful decide to target, marginalize and gaslight individuals, they are fully aware that piling on stressors can break a person and solve the problem via suicide.

    • Skullgrid@lemmy.world
      281·
      10 months ago

      wanted go out on his own terms.

      He was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park.

      not really the same.

    • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
      251·
      10 months ago

      Or someone who may or may not be affiliated with a Boeing executive “assisted” him in his torment.

    • TrickDacy@lemmy.world
      242·
      10 months ago

      In the hotel parking lot right before he was supposed to testify. Yeah, super likely 🙄

    • distantsounds@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      10 months ago

      For all we know…

      At the time of his death, Mr Barnett had been in Charleston for legal interviews linked to that case. Last week, he gave a formal deposition in which he was questioned by Boeing’s lawyers, before being cross-examined by his own counsel. He had been due to undergo further questioning on Saturday. When he did not appear, enquiries were made at his hotel. He was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park.